Neckline finishes for your Maisie Dress

Or any other sewing project! These finishes also look great on the armholes of shifts, singlets, hems - let your imagination go and experiment! I would use these on woven fabrics, although they may also work for knits.

I really like to have samples on hand in a neutral fabric like calico, because I can pull them out when deciding on how I want a garment to look. Peruse this selection of bias binding finishes, and why not make your own set of samples?!

The type of fabric you use will direct your choice of finish: not all fabrics work with only one technique, the tightness or looseness of the weave, the weight of the fabric, can all affect how you want the neckline to look. A linen can look lovely with a frayed edge, but you still want it to look polished. A contrast can add vibrancy to an otherwise plain fabric, the tee-shirt finish is an unusual option for woven fabrics, the choice is yours! Look at ready-to-wear garments to see theses techniques in use and take inspiration for yourself.

I like to make my own bias binding because I know it will match, and I am not limited to the poor colour choices of packets of poly bias. Liberty fabrics make beautiful bias binding, but it is very expensive. So why not have a go and make your own? I don't bother with the folding tool, as I don't always want the folded edges, and I am able to tuck under the seam allowance without it being pressed. A trick I use is to use the point of your seam ripper to roll the seam under! I might make a little video tutorial of this..

TIP!

Pressing makes all the difference to how you enjoy sewing and the finished product. And this is certainly true for sewing bias binding. When pressing a curve, to prevent stretching, start at the 'straight' edges, like the shoulders, and work your way to the middle, lightly pressing, then using steam and pressure once the the curve has 'shrunk' back into place.

Traditional Bias Binding

The first one is probably the most familiar finish, where bias binding is used on the inside of an edge. It provides a clean edge without the weight of a facing, and works well with most fabrics. I personally don't like facings, and rarely use them.

Start by sewing the right side of the bias to the right side of the garment
Edge stitch the seam allowance to the bias (this helps make the fabric roll to the wrong side)
Press the edge
Fold the seam allowance under, and sew the bias to the wrong side of the garment

Note: you should not be able to see the edge stitching on the right side of the garment.

Contrast Edge Bias

The next one is just the reverse finish, but don't be fooled! You have to approach it a bit differently.

Sew the right side of the bias to the wrong side of the fabric
Edge stitch the seam allowance to the neckline (this helps make the fabric roll to the right side)
Press the bias up, and fold it over to the right side of the fabric
Fold the seam allowance of the bias under and sew the bias to the right side of the garment

Note: you should not be able to see the edge stitching on the right side of the garment.

Bias Bound Edge

This one is my least favourite as it can cause a curved edge to stretch, but done well, it gives a fine finish.

Sew the right side of the bias to the wrong side of the fabric
Press up
Fold the seam allowance of the bias under
Fold the bias to the right side, and sew

Bias Raw/Frayed Edge

I love this finish, and it looks great in jersey as well, as the raw edge will roll, but the neckline is stable (for jersey, just cuts strips along the direction of greatest stretch).

Sew the right side of the bias to the right side of the fabric
Overlock the edge
Press the bias up and the seam allowance down onto the body of the garment
On the right side, edge stitch the seam allowance
Rub the raw edge to make it fray, or for stretch, gently pull.

Bias Tee-shirt Edge

This is also a favourite, normally a stretch fabrics finish, but when bias binding is used, it looks great on woven fabrics, particularly if you want less bulk, or can't face turning under fiddly seam allowances!